Diary of a Marine Soldier
by MilleniumNote
Summary: Monkey D. Luffy wasn't the only one that lost a brother at Marineford — in fact, a horrendous number did and yet no one talked about it while the government was to fault. The truth about undertrained Marine soldiers sent out to win battles they were never made for.
1. Dressrosa

_The story will follow the journey of one soldier with passive mentions of canon events and characters. Reviews, wishes, and suggestions are very welcomed._

* * *

**Dressrosa**

Not any of the pirates on the agenda were caught despite the strict briefing and hours of preparation. Not a single plan that had been ordered had worked. And the worst: half of us must have seen it coming and yet we were out to execute the ideas of Vice Admiral Bastille in hope, because hope was what carried us forward and helped us to fake it until we make it.

At that point, I finally regretted becoming a Marine soldier.


	2. Application

**Application**

It was the other side of my home country. A plain metal sign saying 'Marine' including its logo in blue was attached to an old brick wall that gated a small building. It was different from what I imagined a military base to look like. Old and worn out, definitely in need of renovation as I surveyed its facade once I passed the open entrance. Everyone could leave and enter the small property without a thorough check by guards. Wherever I looked, I saw not a single soldier standing in the sun and it left me to wonder if I hadn't mistaken the date.

Walking straight towards the first door I saw, a sheet was taped on the glass. 'Application around the corner' was written with an arrow pointing to the right. The lights behind the window were off and I leaned my forehead against the glass to have a peek at nothing before I followed the given direction.

The first person I sighted was coming across with a big travel bag over his shoulder, just like I had. He walked past me without a glance and from what I saw he didn't appear much older than me, but the wrinkles on his forehead aged him badly. He looked pissed and I couldn't help wondering why was that. Was he disappointed? Rejected? Or just determined? Maybe it was just the sun though.

When I was around the corner, I saw a bunch of men standing in front of another door that had 'Office' written on it. Each of them had big bags carried with them too, thus I knew they were here for the application just like me. They were smoking and chatting with each other and as I came closer, all their heads lifted for me. I felt very unwelcomed as they gazed.

I stopped in front of the door, wondering if I was allowed to enter. Behind me, no one said a word and so I turned around with helpless eyes to get an answer. "Excuse me, are you waiting to be called in?"

One guy exhaled the smoke from his cigarette before he answered me. "Yeah, but just get inside."

He was the icebreaker because the previous tension in the air seemed to settle and another talked too. "You've to report your arrival at the front desk first."

I nodded with "thanks" and entered. Inside was the first time I saw official uniformed people here. Two soldiers sitting across each other at their desks behind the office counter that was operated by a somewhat elderly woman. She was talking to another young applicant and a few others were waiting on benches in the corner of the room. I joined them and was again stared at. When I looked back, they turn their eyes away and act as if it never happened.

So I waited until it was my turn. Of course, I couldn't deny my own ogling. All in all, I wanted to know who else had the idea to join the Marines. Their ages varied just as their physique. From young to middle-aged; skinny to buff; average to tall; many types were represented.

"Next," the lady at the front desk called out over and over again and with each call, someone got up. After a few times, it stagnated. I looked around, seeing no one moving before I slowly got up and walked over to her. The lady at the desk raised a brow at me and asked for my name.

"Penn," I told her with a tight throat and repeated immediately after loosing it, "Penn Charlie."

I felt judged by her stare. She made a long pause while her fingers were fiddling through piles of paper. My smile was everything I could give her and she pulled out a few sheets that were stacked together.

"Are you a girl?"

I opened my mouth with hardly a word first but tried to return to a smile. "Yeah." Not that this question wasn't allowed, but I was sure look-wise I made a decent girl.

She read over the brief information I had to provide before coming here. My name, my birthdate, my current job, my current residency. I peeped as she crossed the word 'male' and replaced it with 'female' and her cold eyes moved up at me so that I looked away in an instant. Right after that, I was sent back to the others to wait again and understood why the majority chose to do so outside.

The air indoor was awful just like the atmosphere with that old lady. I sat down on one of the wooden benches and sighed with little relief. At least one thing was over, though we had to anticipate worse.

"How old are you?"

I looked up at the guy asking me, the one that had answered me first when I came here.

"20."

"From here or from another island?"

"Here."

That was it. He didn't answer and return to his own inner silence. I was weirded out a little, to be honest, also somewhat intimidated. All of them were men and it stayed like that for the next few arriving applicants. I couldn't imagine staying at that base as the only female recruit, I was sure already established soldiers of my gender were somewhere closeby, but for now, I have to bear the position of the black sheep.

After an hour of waiting, we were all called inside again. They lined us up at a wall right in the hallway and there I stood between a bunch of tall men, worried to be overviewed and ignored. When the instructor talked, I sometimes leaned forward to see where he was standing since my view was blocked regarding certain angles. The instructor scolded me when I bent forward at the wrong time, then when he just stepped up close. Being a woman shouldn't be a free pass to disregard orders, something I knew yet had to listen again with all the others around me. I wasn't sure if he was trying to embarrassed or even humiliate me, but I tried to ignore anything that could turn personal while hoping that he wouldn't end up being one of my trainers should I pass.

We were called in for a medical check one after one. The doctor was female and very friendly compared to the lady at the reception. She weighed me and measured my height while I had to be embraced to her completely. I have never shown myself utterly naked in front of anyone before at this age, it was slightly embarrassing. My brother had told me the doctors were usually women and that it would have been the last thing of the process I should worry about. When he had told me she had been inspecting his testicles during his medical examination I knew she would have a closer look at me too, but my mental preparation was not enough to stay calm.

Eventually classified as healthy with the majority of the applicants, we were sent upstairs to bed refers. The few that didn't pass the check had to leave. Anyway, I had a whole room to myself with four bunk beds, two mattresses each, and could choose freely. The rest of the day were only dining in the cantine plus shower.

More people than I could remember were found in the cantine and I realized the application progress happened in groups over the course of two days. The guy I had seen at the beginning probably failed.

I felt a little lonely. They all had their roommates to talk to and I've seen groups of people forming while I could talk to no one. At least I couldn't get myself over to them, because how weird was that, the little girl walking over to a bunch of male strangers that have bonded already within their rooms? Instead, I spent my free time studying the day plan of tomorrow even though it wasn't much, and also the map of the building with all emergency exits inclusive.

They sent us to bed early at nine to be fit for the upcoming day aka the rest of the exam. I was prepared for it. The basic fitness test was even easier than I've expected, in fact, I would declare it as too easy since there was not a single soul that seemed to have really struggled. Every person that wasn't a couch potato could have made it with a little preparation. With that being said, I had no clear image of how the military basic training was going to be.

Soldiers have to be smart and strong to be the heroes of the seas. Dozen of soldiers existed, but only a fistful made it to the top and the very few of them were women. Name it, Vice Admiral Tsuru; Vice Admiral Momousagi; Rear Admiral Hina; Ensign Isuka; Petty Officer Tashigi; they were all admirable strong role models even though I had no idea how far I would like to go with this career myself.

The last part of the test was an interview. Again, one after one, we were called inside a small room with a spartan fashion. A psychologist and Commander were sitting on the other side of a table in the center of the room, staring at one right after opening the door to enter.

I was nervous, very nervous and them only staring without a smile for what felt like ten minutes but was probably just a few seconds, didn't make it any better.

"Oh no, did I fail?" I asked and they looked at each other and chuckled a little.

"Miss Penn, we haven't even talked yet," the Commander said, suddenly with a smile that hadn't been there before. "Tell us about yourself."

I looked at both and nodded with an obvious deep inhalation. "I normally work in the office of the local newspaper publisher, my father's a carpenter, my mother a homemaker, I was raised with two older brothers, I'm always good organized and I was ranked employer of the month six times in a row."

The Commander perked his brows. "Last one, for what exactly?"

"Good organization," I told and my smile felt stupid.

"Thoughts on how this might help you becoming a good soldier?"

"I think good organization is half of every work."

"Why do you want to join the Marines?"

Their expression had turned straight back to poker faces. I straightened in the seat and gulped quietly with a long neck. "Well, I guess I'm just one of many that want to make the world a better place."

"A better place in which way?"

"Protecting civilians from pirates."

"Have you ever met a pirate before?"

I didn't need to see a homicide to know it was bad, the same went for a bunch of lawless people traveling the sea to suppress the weak and lived from others' possessions. The fear of pirates wasn't made up irrationally, fears developed by experiences, first hand to second hand to third and eventually, this developed to common sense. Why would piracy attract a decent human-being? Why would decent human-beings need to call themselves pirates? If they just wanted to roam around the sea and have fun, they could be just sailors, but instead, they free themselves from any law, labeled their existence without real occupation, and yelled troublemaker.

"What do your parents think of your wish to join the Marines?"

"Neither my mother nor my father's fond of the idea, but they respect my choice."

"Indeed, it's unusual to have women here. We don't have many female applicants, especially not many that pass."

"My mother's wish for me was to get married and become a great wife, but being raised with two brothers my whole life, I find it kinda hard to become just that."

"Understandable," he said and swiftly glimpse at my application form. "Every soldier here's treated equally regardless of their gender, but we have no entire influence on how your male fellows think. You should be aware of that."

I responded with a sharp nod and an expedient smile. "You have good examples in your force of how it's possible to maintain a strong image as a woman."

"Yeah, but those are the very exceptions," he said and I didn't like his tone. It felt like he assumed I wasn't aware of the fact. "All known marine women have outstanding qualities that showed from the beginning of their training."

"And maybe I have those qualities too. And if not, it still might be enough to serve the government as a decent soldier."

The psychologist was jotting down my answers and it was hard not to stare at it but in the eyes of the Commander.

"What do your brothers think?"

I paused and had my eyes on the floor before they went back into position. "One passed away two years ago due to a weak heart, the other serves the military as well. He understands my ambitions and supports me."

"We're sorry for your loss," the Commander said with a tiny break before he asked about my other brother's name and where he was stationed.

I told them Ian was somewhere on the Grand Line too but had his basic military training completed here. That was when I also found out they no longer trained their people on this island, thus send them away to different bases. It happened that some would even have to leave the Grand Line and complete their training at one of the smaller bases somewhere in the Blues. Since not many female recruits existed, they assured me there was only one station in total that collected them all to fill female dorms, and it was fortunately based on the Grand Line.

Of course, I would leave for one of the other four seas if I was ordered, but I preferred not to. Chances to meet Ian again soon would shrink.

They continued to ask me questions about my knowledge of the Marines and world like who the current fleet admiral and admirals were, what I can say about the emperors of the sea and the Seven Warlords. For me, a piece of cake; they could have asked me anything about them, I did my homework.

"What's your opinion on the Seven Warlords?"

I was prepared for a question like this as well, but my hesitation to answer went through and I joined their poker faces, though I was sure mine didn't look as indifferent as theirs. "In order to succeed, Collateral damage and sacrifices aren't fully avoidable."

Again, a long silence before the psychologist jotted my answer down. "Miss Penn, what's your goal within the military?" His first question and he looked at me as if there was a wrong or right answer.

"I don't specifically aim to make a big career, but if chances are offered, I wouldn't reject."

"But you know with higher positions comes bigger responsibilities, hence bigger opportunities."

"Of course. But as I said, you'll have my service regardless of my rank."

"Isn't it more like you haven't figured a career plan yet? Unusual for someone who's determined to change the world by joining the military. Perhaps it's just curiosity, boredom or an image to you. I haven't expected someone to whom organization's very important to deliver us such an uncertain goal."

I wasn't prepared for such a counter and it left me flabberghasted in silence, maybe on the edge of hyperventilation. They thanked me for my time and I was sent out while the next person was called in.

I stood around like someone had poured water down my neck, wondering if I had said anything wrong or stupid. It didn't go as I've imagined and my time in there seemed very short compared to some other interviews. Bad? Good? I don't know, I didn't even have the chance to ask a question.

"You alright?" Another applicant asked me and as I faced him still with worried eyes, he gave me a small comforting smile. "Relax, I bet it's not bad."

"Just because you bet, doesn't mean it's true," I replied with no change in my attitude. "I feel sick..."

"I've a friend within the Marines, and if he made it, everyone will," he said, amused. "They literally take anyone able-bodied, because the more the better."

"And what's so bad about your friend if I'm allowed to ask?"

"This guy's just there to shoot and I wouldn't even say he's good at what he's doing, and still no one has kicked him yet.'

I curled my brows at his tranquil demeanor while I was holding my stomach with one hand. "I think I've to vomit..."

In the evening, we were called back inside to receive the results and the guy I've talked to was right, we all passed. I had one week to pack and say goodbye to friends and family before the journey would go on.

I was ready to become a real soldier.


End file.
